I'm managing director of Strategic Communications for FTI Consulting, based in Houston. Prior to joining FTI in 2012, I had a 33 year career in the oil and gas industry, working public policy issues for a number of companies including Shell, Burlington Resources, El Paso Corp., and Coastal States. I've also led numerous industry-wide efforts to address regulatory and legislative issues at the local, state and federal level. From April 2010 through June 2012, David served as the Texas State Lead for America’s Natural Gas Alliance. I attended Texas A&I University and The University of Texas, earning B.A. in accounting.

The Weekly Oil & Gas Follies

In which we drill down into the @GDBlackmon Twitter feed to briefly chronicle the week’s silliness, shenanigans, fake news and real news related to the oil and natural gas industry.

We’re going to do things a little differently with this week’s Follies, and begin with a lengthy critique of the following piece: North Dakota’s Fracking Fields Pumping CO2 Into The Air From Natural Gas Flaring – Increased fracking and oil/gas production in the Bakken area of North Dakota has resulted in a large increase in CO2 emissions from flared natural gas…Burning natural gas emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, adding to the daily carbon footprint in the U.S…Fracking is thought to have a number of negative side effects such as groundwater pollution and fracking-induced earthquakes. Natural gas emissions are one of those side effects, and increase the total carbon footprint of fossil fuels produced from fracking operations.

Our response: Wow. Where does one even begin to respond to such an intentionally misleading piece of agenda-driven “journalism”?

What the heck - we’ll give it a shot.

First is the inescapable fact that, were the gas not being flared, it would instead be burned in any number of other uses, such as power generation, home heating or any of the myriad manufacturing and industrial processes to which natural gas is a critical feedstock. Thus, the fact is that there is no “increase” in CO2 emissions at all from flaring the gas, since it will be burned in any event. So the author’s statement that flaring the gas somehow increases the nation’s “carbon footprint” betrays either rank ignorance or an obvious agenda on his part. To be generous, we’ll assume the latter to be the case.

Oil Patch Photo of the Week, Courtesy of @GDBlackmon

Luling City Market – best damn Barbecue in the Texas Oil Patch. No kidding.

Second is the lumping of basically everything that happens in the oilfield under the single term “fracking”. That term actually refers to hydraulic fracturing, a discrete process used to complete these wells which has absolutely nothing to do with the flaring of the natural gas that is ostensibly the subject of this particular piece of fake news. Drilling is not “fracking”, production is not “fracking”, transportation is not “fracking”, processing is not “fracking”, and again, flaring is not “fracking”. This is lazy, irresponsible, fake “journalism”, the kind that indicates very low standards on the part of the media site that gives it an outlet.

Third is the ending statement that this nebulous “fracking” is thought to have “a number of negative side effects such as groundwater pollution and fracking-induced earthquakes.” Really? “Thought” by whom, exactly? Agenda-driven journalists like the author? Radical activists who possess no actual knowledge of the subject matter? C-list actors who have nothing better to do?

Certainly not anyone in a position of knowledge or authority. Even the Obama Administration’s EPA consistently admits in congressional testimony and other public statements that it has never been able to identify a single instance of hydraulic fracturing causing groundwater pollution anywhere in the United States. Period. And it is certainly not for the lack of trying.

There have now been a couple of studies that have posited a link between saltwater disposal wells and minor earthquake activity, but there has yet to be any real evidence at all linking hydraulic fracturing to seismic activity anywhere in the country. In other words, the statement about “fracking-induced earthquakes” is a fantasy, a completely false assertion.

Finally, let’s talk about the effect that increased use of natural gas has had on the country’s “carbon footprint”. The fact of the matter is that, thanks largely to the rapid displacement of coal in the power generation sector by increased use of natural gas, the U.S. carbon footprint has over the last few years fallen to levels not achieved in 20 years. Why? Because burning natural gas produces half the CO2 produced by burning coal. The author doesn’t mention that because it is not part of his obvious, palpable agenda for writing the piece in the first place.

And thus, this egregious piece of fake “journalism” deservedly wins the honor of being our Fake News Piece for the First Quarter, 2014!

But…but…but Fear is all they have: Fear Mongers Blame CA Quake on “Fracking” – The fear-mongering motion presented by Councilmen Paul Koretz and Mike Bonin, who have been pushing to ban fracking, and seconded by Councilman Bernard C. Parks, stated: “All high-pressure fracking and injection creates ‘seismic events’ … It is crucial to the health and safety of the city’s residents to understand the seismic impacts of oil and gas extraction activities in the city.”

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